The playboy county magistrate

At such a young age, he remains calm amidst turmoil and composed when witnessing conspiracies. He knows right from wrong, understands gain and loss, is adept at strategy, and possesses a benevolent heart.

If things can continue like this, the future of Dayong will be destined to be an unprecedented golden age for Dayong.

Li Xuanzhi withdrew his gaze, looked at the prisoners scattered on the ground, his eyes cold, and gave orders in a deep voice.

"Interrogate them overnight, uncover all the remaining hidden criminals and palace spies, and then report to His Majesty and the Empress. They must be brought to justice in one fell swoop."

As night deepened, the lights in the punishment hall of the Li family mansion shone brightly.

The mansion, which was elegant and quiet during the day, now had an added air of solemnity and coldness.

Eleven masked assassins were all chained to the beams, their muscles and bones restrained, their black clothes stained with blood. Their faces were ashen, yet they still gritted their teeth.

Tang Zheng personally led his secret guards to guard the punishment hall, his aura as cold and hard as iron.

Perhaps it was because he had seen so much from being by Li Xuanzhi's side, but now, as he coldly swept his gaze over the crowd, he could make the prisoners in the room tremble with fear.

Under the eaves, the young prince stood with his hands behind his back, neither stepping into the punishment hall nor retreating.

Despite his young age, he had clearly experienced the danger of assassination in the dark, and now, facing the assailant, there was not a trace of fear in his eyes.

Only a calm and discerning perspective beyond his years allows him to silently observe the most authentic and cruel side of life.

Tang Zheng bowed in the direction of the Crown Prince before turning around.

The technique is swift and decisive, without unnecessary words or beating around the bush, directly addressing the core issue.

However, these assassins were all carefully raised by aristocratic families and were brainwashed fugitives who had long since disregarded life and death.

No matter how severely Tang Zheng tortured them, they remained silent. Only muffled groans and growls escaped their lips; not a single word was uttered.

Half an incense stick's time had passed, and the interrogation had made no progress.

Tang Zheng frowned and strode away, heading straight for Li Xuanzhi's room. He stood outside the door and bowed to ask for permission.

"Master, these assassins are extremely stubborn. They are all determined to die, and conventional interrogation cannot get them to talk."

Li Xuanzhi's gaze darkened slightly as he pushed open the door and stepped out. He walked into the torture chamber, stood before the lead assassin, grabbed the man's chin, and suddenly lifted it upwards.

He did not use any instruments of torture, nor did he use any harsh words to intimidate; he simply spoke in a calm tone.

"You risk your life so that your family can live comfortably after you're gone, right?"

The masked assassin in the lead stiffened, a flicker of something unexpected flashing in his eyes.

"They were hired for a large sum of money, or they were desperate outlaws repaying a debt of gratitude. But you are a private bodyguard of a powerful family, controlled by them for generations. You serve them in life, but you are controlled after death."

Li Xuanzhi's voice was neither hurried nor slow, but every word hit the nail on the head.

"If you die, the mastermind will simply erase all traces of your existence and slaughter your families. They'll nip it in the bud, eliminating any future threats. No one will remember your sacrifice, and they won't care about your useless family members, right?"

"But I can guarantee that as long as you confess and tell the truth, I will ensure the safety of your family and will not hold your past actions against you."

Li Xuanzhi pointed towards the direction of the Crown Prince at the door, "If you don't believe me, you can ask His Highness the Crown Prince. The future emperor will certainly value promises more than I do."

The crown prince didn't say anything, he just nodded slightly.

The assassin's Adam's apple bobbed, and the fierceness and stubbornness in his eyes crumbled layer by layer.

After struggling for a long time, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice, his voice broken and hoarse.

"We...we are all acting under orders."

"Who gave the orders?" Li Xuanzhi pressed, his tone remaining calm.

"A message from the inner palace... Consort Shu's personal maidservant, acting on imperial orders, has mobilized the remaining forces of powerful families to infiltrate the mansion at night and assassinate the Crown Prince. They will then frame you, Lord Li, for failing to protect your master and for abusing your power and disrupting the court."

Tang Zheng's expression hardened. "As expected, it's the harem interfering in politics, with the remnants of the empress's relatives colluding to cause trouble!"

A cold glint flashed in Li Xuanzhi's eyes; he had a feeling that things weren't that simple.

Things really happened too fast.

If he were Consort Shu, and also intended to send his son over for tutoring, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths before receiving a definite rejection.

On the other hand, without the secret support of someone in a high position in the harem, they would never have dared to gather assassins and break into the Li residence to assassinate the crown prince.

He slightly raised his eyes and continued to press for answers in a deep voice.

"How many spies are still in the palace? How do they usually communicate? Is His Majesty's poisoning related to you?"

Li Xuanzhi's final question made it clear that he wouldn't really let him go.

After all, this was a royal secret, a secret known only to a select few. If others found out, how could anyone possibly survive?

Unfortunately, this person can no longer think of so many things, because—

The assassin trembled, his face showing fear.

"We have no right to know His Majesty's affairs! The palace is riddled with old connections from powerful families, infiltrating even the lowest-ranking eunuchs, maids, and members of the Imperial Guards. All communications are coded and secret, destroyed the following day, layer upon layer of secrecy—no one can possibly peek through them!"

The clues were limited, but deadly enough.

Li Xuanzhi asked no more questions and simply raised his hand to give the order.

"Detain all the individuals under strict supervision, properly care for their families, and fulfill our promise."

"Yes!" Tang Zheng accepted the order and immediately led his men to deal with the situation.

As for where they will be taken, that's something those who remain imprisoned here can't possibly know.

Li Xuanzhi walked out of the punishment hall, and the Crown Prince slowly walked down the corridor to Li Xuanzhi's side. The small figure stood under the lamplight, his brows and eyes calm, and he spoke softly.

"Teacher, Consort Shu knew that assassinating me was extremely risky, and that if the plot were exposed, everything would be lost. Why did she still insist on taking such a dangerous risk?"

Look! What a bright child!

Li Xuanzhi turned to look at him, his tone softening, "Go back and get a good night's sleep. After I finish court tomorrow, come up with an answer and tell me."

You need to use your brain; it's better to learn to think for yourself. It's like trying to learn to swim from the shore—you won't remember it if you only experience it firsthand and participate in it.

The Crown Prince frowned slightly. "Could it be because she has no other way out?"

Before Li Xuanzhi could reply, the Crown Prince continued, "But she also has two princes, so it's not entirely impossible."

Once the Crown Prince's figure had completely disappeared from sight, Pei Qingyuan, having received the news, rushed over. Looking at Li Xuanzhi, a hint of seriousness lingered in her eyes.

"The evidence is conclusive: Consort Shu colluded with traitors to assassinate the Crown Prince. How do you intend to report this to His Majesty?"

Li Xuanzhi raised his eyes and looked towards the deep palace, his gaze deep and intense.

"Report the facts truthfully, without altering a single word."

As for whether the person behind it is Consort Shu or someone else, let the Emperor and Empress worry about that.

"But Your Majesty is unwell, and reporting this suddenly might aggravate your condition."

Pei Qingyuan had some concerns, "The inner palace involves a wide range of issues, and His Majesty has been patient for many years without purging them. This is because he is worried that these issues will shake the foundation of the country."

Li Xuanzhi naturally understood her concerns and sighed softly.

"I know what you're thinking. But it's precisely because His Majesty is frail that I must inform you."

"If they dare to assassinate the Crown Prince today, they will dare to kill the Emperor and commit treason tomorrow. If the harem is not clean, the court will be in turmoil, His Majesty will not be able to rest in peace, and the Crown Prince will not be able to live in tranquility. Rather than leaving hidden dangers to cause repeated troubles, it is better to use this irrefutable evidence to thoroughly purge the remaining evils in the palace and cut off all the roots of trouble."